Abstract : In this report an effort is made to describe some aspects of the various sectors and strata in contemporary Korean society and secondly, to consider the question of national social integration. The inevitable tensions and discontinuities that accompany rapid social, economic, and political change are set against the apparently successful adaptation of millions of individuals to new occupations, new kinds of associations, and new life styles. It is generally recognized that the most direct and immediate cause of domestic political unrest today and the greatest challenge to political stability in the coming years is the student opposition movement. In addition there is considerable concern at the possibility of widespread worker protests during the 1980s, either in the form of economic demands and work stoppages that might interfere with economic growth, or in the form of alliances with student groups to support political dissidence. The main emphasis will therefore be on these two sectors. In the final section there is a somewhat more speculative discussion of socio-political trends in the 1980s.